


What He Should Have Done

by nerigby96



Category: Martin and Lewis
Genre: 1940s, Age Difference, Emotionally Repressed, Fluff, Internal Conflict, Intimacy, Kissing, M/M, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-16 21:08:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28837563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerigby96/pseuds/nerigby96
Relationships: Jerry Lewis/Dean Martin
Comments: 8
Kudos: 16





	What He Should Have Done

They’re down for the night. Drifting. Jer’s fingers cease their drowsy exploration of bare chest and arm and collarbone and now he settles underneath Dean’s arm. Head tucked neatly against his neck. The bed’s a double, but a small one. Cheap, like the whole room. Not worth the nine dollars they’re saving. But still there’s room for separation. One side each, the way it ought to be maybe when two people share a bed. And the first week or so, sure, that’s how they worked it out. Then one night Jer screamed so loud Dean thought they’d have the cops beating down the door. Then there were the mumblings and whimpers. Once or twice Dean woke to find his arm slung over the kid anyway. Surmised that holding on to him would give them both the best chance of getting some rest – the kid to feel like he wasn’t climbing without a rope or rowing without a paddle; and Dean to not be disturbed.

Quiet. Just their breathing. And then:

“Paul?”

“Hm?”

“Who’s the first person you ever kissed?”

Dean frowns. Makes a noise he hopes sounds like a chuckle. “Why?”

Jer shrugs. He rests the tip of his index finger in the dip between Dean’s collarbones. “Just askin’.”

Dean shifts a little. Glances down at Jer, whose eyes are wide and watching him. Dean clears his throat. “I don’t know, Jer. Was a long time ago.” He squeezes gently. “Go to sleep now.”

Jer nods. Tucks his head under again. Puts his arm back where it was, resting across Dean’s belly.

Quiet again. Dean feels the kid’s heart thud against his side.

“Doesn’t matter anyhow,” Jer says.

“No?”

“Mm-mm.” The kid moves. Slips his arms around Dean’s neck. “I don’t care about the first person you kissed. Just so long as I’m the next.”

Dean laughs low. The quiet only gently stirred. In the dim light, he sees Jer’s eyes sparkle. He’s beaming. Dean asks: “How long you been workin’ on that one?”

“Oh, months,” Jer says. The smile softens. His eyelids drop a fraction.

Dean looks at him. His little pal – his partner, now. So earnest. Honest. So brazen, too. For all these things and more Dean wants to give a little something in return. He winds his arms around Jer’s skinny waist and presses his mouth to lips that curl and soften and push and shift and follow as he pulls back. Then drop away as Jer hides his hot face in Dean’s neck.

Dean strokes his back. Chews his top lip. Thinking. 

“Mm.” Jer smiles against Dean’s neck. “You’re good at that.”

Dean can’t think what to say. There’s so much to say and all of it tangled. Frayed strands of sentences that wouldn’t sound right in his mouth. So much that would come so easy to his little partner but like pulling teeth for him. Too much. So he clamps his jaw. Moves his hand to the nape of Jer’s neck. Re-evaluates. Decides he doesn’t know the words. Not for this. Doesn’t know what to say or think or if he even did the right thing here.

“Must be all that practice with all those people whose names you don’t remember.”

Dean’s tongue unknots itself. Catches the boy’s serve and returns: “Oh c’mon, Jer, not all of ’em. Just that one.”

Jer chuckles. “Okay, bubbe, I believe you.” He nuzzles. Rolls his hips a little closer.

Dean puts a hand on his waist. “Bedtime,” he whispers.

“Mm.” Jer settles back into his place. Back where he should be. His heart has calmed down now, and Dean feels him slip into what he knows will be a dreamless sleep.

Tomorrow night, Jer will kiss him in the middle of the show. The audience will scream and cry and fall out of their chairs. Dean will stand firm. Lips pressed together. He’ll see it coming. Let it happen. It will be the biggest laugh they’ve got so far. No mean feat, it must be said, for them. And as Jer grins at him he’ll think that this is what he should have done last night.


End file.
